Show review: Violent Way/Fear City/Conservative Military Image/Spat @ Cobra Lounge on 1/20/23

This was the first hardcore show I’ve been to since 2019, my first show since 2006 I’ve attended solo and my first oi show period.

Spat, a 4-piece hardcore group that seems to be from Chicago, was the opening act. They apparently are a newer group and don’t have much of an online presence other than a video of their first show. Hope to see more from them.

Conservative Military Image played next. This being their first time live in Chicago, they really laid it on the line. This skinhead hardcore band played tracks from their Skinhead and Summertime Skinhead EPs, as well as some of their singles released over the past year. They were absolute pure energy bursting from the stage.

Longtime Chicago oi outfit Fear City followed. Probably because there were so many FCS people present, their stage presence was warm and familiar. Almost felt like I was crashing someone’s afterwork party. I mean that as a compliment! Arguably the loudest band of the night, the 5 member band played tracks from their albums Our Way of Life and True Breed.

Finally, Buffalo hardcore/oi champions Violent Way took the stage. Probably the tightest sounding band of the night, the 3 piece ripped through selections from their debut album, split with Béton Armé and ran through covers of well known 4 Skins and Sham 69 songs

Overall, a great lineup, great show and a great night.

Unfortunately I forgot to take any pictures, but @heatherxedge has uploaded some from the night.